One life
by Teague-Drydan
Summary: A song-fic involving Martina Mcbride's 'Concrete Angel'.


Don't own anything but my characters. Lackey owns Valdemar and Martina Mcbride owns 'Concrete Angel'

Read, relax and please, _please!_, review.

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**_She walks to school with the lunch she packed_**

**_Nobody knows what she's holding back_**

**_Wearing the same dress she wore yesterday_**

**_She hides the bruises with the linen and lace_**

"Look, there goes Tema, wearing the same dress as yesterday." Mica laughed to his friends—most of the village kids. "What's wrong, Tema? Don't have any other clothes?" He sneered loud enough for me to hear.

Pinpricks of tears threatened to slip over my eyelids. I tried to ignore the taunting as I carried my lunch to the school house. _So what if I have to wear the same dress twice in a row? So what if_, tears were now spilling over my cheeks, _I don't have pretty dresses like Tya or Lacy._

I sat at my desk, knowing I was lucky Queen Selenay had said that all kids were supposed to learn how to read, write, and do math. If I wasn't here, I'd be at home…with my mother…

Ha! Mother. I thought they were supposed to love their kids… I guess not…

I tried not to jar any of my bones or bruises as I collected my school stuff and breakfast.

Last night was bad. Worse than usual. _Why did they have to open a tavern so close to home?_

I barely managed to stop the tears before the teacher, Sister Moriah, called attendance. Mother always said that it was my fault…I was a 'bad' girl…

_**The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask**_

_**It's hard to see the pain behind the mask**_

_**Bearing the burden of a secret storm**_

_**Some times, she wishes she was never born**_

I shook my head when I saw little Tema come in wearing the same dress and her small lunch pail. _The poor baby. Her home life must be tough… I wonder why her mother or father never comes to the school festivities, either?_ _Ah, well, it's time to start attendance…_

I slowly walked home after school was over, trying to take as long as possible. All the other kids run home, scream with joy to be free. I just trudge home…

_Sometimes I wish…I wish that I was never born!_ With that thought, I broke into a careful run and headed towards my favorite willow tree near the river.

Somebody cries at the moon every night

"But I _didn't do it_, mother! Honest, I didn't!" I cried.

"Do I look like I care, brat? You'd best get back here!" Mother made a swipe at me, but was too drunk to catch me as I easily dodged out of her way. "If you don't get back here right now, young lady I'll beat you so bad you won't be able to go to school tomorrow." Mother managed to grab a hold of my skirt after that last warning and proceeded giving me good night 'partings'.

When mother was finally done with, I escaped upstairs and sat by the one window that was in my room. I leaned my face against the rough wood, letting hot, scalding tears leak down my face. "Why? Why does she do this? Why can't I escape?" I whispered to no one. I eventually fell asleep.

_**Through the wind and the rain,**_

_**She stands high as a stone**_

_**In a world that she can't rise above**_

_**But her dreams give her wings,**_

_**Where she flies to the place where she's loved.**_

I dreamed that I had sprouted wings. Big beautiful wings that shone and glittered in the pale moonlight. I beat my wings and I lifted off the ground. With more enthusiasm, I shoved off the roof of my house and flew high towards the moon. The higher I flew, the more I became aware that there were others around me. At first I was scared, but they were so beautiful and kind-looking. Their hair was a soft brown and their eyes were full of love. I felt safe among them.

I flew high enough to find their city and one of the people took my hand and led to their ruler—a handsome man who didn't sit on a far-away throne, but mixed with his people. His hair was black and I couldn't see his eyes. When he called to, I ran to his arms, where he lifted me up and said, "I am always with you. Always."

The beauty shattered as I registered pain in my ribs.

"Wake up, you lump of lard! I SAID_ WAKE UP!_" Mother was awake.

The neighbor's hear but they turn out the light

A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate

"There she goes again. That mad woman. Some one should stop her, you know."

"Tovi, it's none of our business. If that's how Ireta wants to raise her daughter, then we have no say." I told my wife. "Now, turn off the light and let's go to sleep."

"But we should—"

"The light, Tovi, please." Darkness surrounded us once the candle was blown out.

"Wake. Up. Tema." Mother was really mad now. I struggled out of sleep, aided by mother's abuse.

"'m up—" I was slapped in the mouth.

"Did I say you could talk?" Mother snapped. "I thought not."

_**When morning comes, it will be too late**_

"Has anyone seen Tema?" I asked.

"Nuh-uh. Not since yesterday afternoon." Verna said. "May I go now, please?"

"Yes, yes of course." Tema wasn't at school today. I wonder if she's okay? I strode into Cybele's room. "I'm going to see if one of my pupil's is okay. I should be back soon." Cybele nodded as she continued her work.

The trip to Tema's house was a short one. The house was made of old wood that seemed to be decaying. I gently knocked on the door and then waited. It took a few minutes before I got an answer. A woman opened the door and asked rudely, "Yeah. What is it?"

"I'm Sister Moriah, I teach your daughter. I noticed that she wasn't at school today, so I came to see if was okay."

"She wasn't at school? The little bast—excuse me. Please come in. I'm sorry about the mess, but I wasn't expecting any visitors. I'm Ireta, Tema's mother." The woman smiled weakly. "Tema! Get down here! You have a visitor!" No one answered. "_TEMA!_" Still no one answered. "Let me go up there, you can come…if you wish." I followed Ireta up some creaky stairs. There were only two doors on the top floor. I guessed one led to Ireta's room and the second to Tema's room. I was correct on the last guess at least.

Ireta knocked on the door. "Tema? Tema? Open the door, please. Tema? Fine, I'm opening the door."

Ireta did open the door. The scene that awaited us was horrific.

_**Through the wind and the rain,**_

_**She stands high as a stone**_

_**In a world that she can't rise above**_

_**But her dreams give her wings,**_

_**Where she flies to the place where she's loved.**_

I was crying. "Mother…" but she didn't hear me. My voice slowly faded until it was only a memory. _If I rest for just a moment…_ Darkness seeped into my vision.

"Child. Wake up." I woke pleasantly to the voice. "I told you I would be with you always." It was the man from my dream. His black hair floated in a breeze that I couldn't feel. I still couldn't see his eyes. Then I noticed his hands. They were beautiful, yes, but there was no skin on them. They were his bones.

"You're—"

"Yes, I'm the Shadow-lover. Welcome home, Tema-child. Welcome to a place where you're loved…"

The guard took Ireta into custody. Tema herself was buried in the Church's cemetery and a small angel girl was placed over the grave. Ireta would never harm another child as long as she lived. I was glad for that.

"Moriah? I'm sorry about the girl, but…"

"Cybele, I want to form an orphanage, or haven, for other children whose parents beat them. I know it will take a lot of money, but I think, maybe, we may be able to get some help from the Queen."

"Then what are you waiting for? Write her a letter."

Smiling, I replied, "Thanks, I think I will."

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Thank you for reading, i would very much like your feed back. 

Littereddragkin


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